“First, the duty of direct action to ensure a just ordering of society falls to the lay faithful who, as free and responsible citizens, strive to contribute to the just configuration of social life, while respecting legitimate autonomy and natural moral law”, the Holy Father explained. “Your duty as bishops, together with your clergy, is indirect because you must contribute to the purification of reason, and to the moral awakening of the forces necessary to build a just and fraternal society. Nonetheless, when required by the fundamental rights of the person or the salvation of souls, pastors have the binding duty to emit moral judgments, even on political themes”.

“When forming these judgements, pastors must bear in mind the absolute value of those … precepts which make it morally unacceptable to chose a particular action which is intrinsically evil and incompatible with human dignity. This decision cannot be justified by the merit of some specific goal, intention, consequence or circumstance, Thus it would be completely false and illusory to defend, political, economic or social rights which do not comprehend a vigorous defence of the right to life from conception to natural end. When it comes to defending the weakest, who is more defenceless than an unborn child or a patient in a vegetative or comatose state?”

“When political projects openly or covertly contemplate the depenalisation of abortion or euthanasia, the democratic ideal (which is truly democratic when it recognises and protects the dignity of all human beings) is betrayed at its very foundations. For this reason, dear brothers in the episcopate, when defending life we must not fear hostility or unpopularity, rejecting all compromise and ambiguity which would conform us to the mentality of this world”.

In order to help lay people live their Christian, social and political commitments in a unified and coherent fashion it is necessary, said the Holy Father, to ensure appropriate “social catechesis and an adequate formulation of Church Social Doctrine. … This also means that on some occasions, pastors must reminds all citizens of the right, which is also a duty, freely to use their vote to promote the common good”.

Go here to read the complete statement of the Pope. I have a great many views on a great many issues, but for me the paramount issue is always abortion, and I agree with the Pope that the legalization of that crime against God and Man strikes at the heart of our democracy. It is additionally a betrayal of the immortal words of Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

There is so much confusion in the Church today regarding Pro-Life issues. Satan is using many to pervert the Message of God to “Choose Life!” How do we discern the truth? By listening to the Holy Father and those bishops and clergy who are united with him. If we hear someone distorting the Pope’s teaching, we need to run away from it as fast as we can, so that the falsehood & lies do not penetrate our souls. Stay close to the Holy Father, who speaks for Christ! Deacon John

PLEASE DONATE TO KEEP THIS BLOG OPERATING. GOD BLESS+ YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY DAILY PRAYERS! Marianne, my wife, suffered a heart attack on March 13th, 2012. On 7/23/2013, she suffered a stroke and was hospitalized for over 3 weeks. On 8/9/2013, Marianne went to the Lord. Deacon John

I'm Deacon John, age 77, ordained 4/25/87 as a Permanent Deacon for the Diocese of Brooklyn.

Remember the Grammy-winning ‘90s song, “Closing Time,” by Semisonic? Until recently, no one really knew what the song was actually about – although we all thought we knew. The song was about a bar’s last call for the night, and what might ensue once the bar-goers left… right? Surprisingly, no. Even more surprising is the song’s Pro-Life message. […]

As noted in the most recent articles of this series, the Missals of Toledo and Seville are quite unusual in having preserved so late as the mid-16th century a type of prayer called an “Apologia”, in which the priest protests his unworthiness to approach the altar and offer the Eucharistic sacrif

A Texas Planned Parenthood abortion business has been caught engaging in fraud. This is the second Texas affiliate of the nation’s biggest abortion business to be caught engaging in fraud in the last two years. A new federal audit found that Planned Parenthood of North Texas overbilled taxpayers, including for “family planning” services for patients who were […]

Yesterday, I posted about my visit to a church in midtown Manhattan to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Today, my blog neighbor Fr. Michael Duffy tells the story from the other side of the screen: I walked into the church at ten to three and already fifty people were waiting. I went into the priest’s sacristy, [Read More...]

It is with some regret that I must inform you that my employment as a contributing blogger at the National Catholic Register has been terminated.Yup, they fired me.I am grateful for the five years I spent as a contributor to the Register, the online presence of which has grown immensely during my tenure and that of the other original group of contributors. T […]

According to this Washington Post article, one Maryland abortion clinic is trying to push the heinous even further, by creating a “spa-like” environment to facilitate in removing the “stigma” from the murder of one’s own offspring. There’s nothing like cushy bathrobes, wood flooring, and modern finishes to lull the senses into a serene calm just before doing […]

A representative for Gibbons' lawyer says it's possible she will be released at her April 7 court date.

Follow My Blog Posts

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,639 other followers

Psalm 93 [Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition]

1 The Lord is the God to whom revenge belongeth: the God of revenge hath acted freely.
2 Lift up thyself, thou that judgest the earth: render a reward to the proud.
3 How long shall sinners, O Lord: how long shall sinners glory?
4 Shall they utter, and speak iniquity: shall all speak who work injustice?
5 Thy people, O Lord, they have brought low: and they have afflicted thy inheritance.
6 They have slain the widow and the stranger: and they have murdered the fatherless.
7 And they have said: The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob understand.
8 Understand, ye senseless among the people: and, you fools, be wise at last.
9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? or he that formed the eye, doth he not consider?
10 He that chastiseth nations, shall he not rebuke: he that teacheth man knowledge?
11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men, that they are vain.
12 Blessed is the man whom thou shalt instruct, O Lord: and shalt teach him out of thy law.
13 That thou mayst give him rest from the evil days: till a pit be dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not cast off his people: neither will he forsake his own inheritance.
15 Until justice be turned into judgment: and they that are near it are all the upright in heart.
16 Who shall rise up for me against the evildoers? or who shall stand with me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the Lord had been my helper, my soul had almost dwelt in hell.
18 If I said: My foot is moved: thy mercy, O Lord, assisted me.
19 According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts have given joy to my soul.
20 Doth the seat of iniquity stick to thee, who framest labour in commandment?
21 They will hunt after the soul of the just, and will condemn innocent blood.
22 But the Lord is my refuge: and my God the help of my hope.
23 And he will render them their iniquity: and in their malice he will destroy them: the Lord our God will destroy them.